They are Home: The Commander in Chief must not act like this!

            Donald Trump’s latest tweet, telling four congresswomen of color to go home, just hit me so hard. I’m in tears… and I’m a white guy, I can only imagine how this feels to folk who have regularly been told, “go back to where you came from.” 

            I am struck that the Commander in Chief would speak like this, that the president would say such a thing about members of congress. 

            For whatever reason, his actions take me back to my childhood as a NATO brat. We occasionally had drills about getting nuked or overran by the Communists. We were told to find our parents, or failing that, to find adults we trusted. The two adults I decided on were Dr. Omar and Rob. 

            The Commander in Chief of the United States Military was not only attacking Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, and Rep. Ilhan Omar—he is also saying Rob and Dr. Omar aren’t really Americans. They would die for this country! For that matter, “The Squad”represents and serves nearly three million Americans… that’s 5 of my home state of Wyoming… that’s a lot of Americans!

            What kind of President uses his bully pulpit as a bullhorn for the worst impulses of our country? What kind of President injects that kind of hate into our nation’s veins? What kind of President holds millions of citizens in such low disregard, and states it publically?

            What kind of Commander in Chief insults 40%of the troops he commands?

A prayer for “The Squad”:

            Lord God, our President’s words are endangering the lives of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, and Rep. Ilhan Omar, please shield them and protect them, please keep them safe. Do not let them be demonized, do not let them be used to scare people, and do not let the evil done to them have its intended effect. 

            Instead Lord, take “The Squad” and use them to do good for this nation and prosper all who live herein. Strengthen them daily for their vocation as Congresswomen. 

            Dear Lord, be kind to them. In Jesus name. Amen.

A prayer for everyone who has been told to “Go Home”:

            There is no rest, until we rest in you, and yet… and yet Lord, this nation can be a place to be and be safe for a time. Lord, it is not so. Millions of your children are insulted, denigrated, hated. Please heal the wounds inflicted upon them. Please make it so such hatred may never again be used against them.

            Also, please turn the hearts of those who have attacked them, turn them from their sin that they might be transformed. 

            Make of our imperfect nation a home. In Jesus name. Amen.